If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Got the stuff together to sew a bridge hammock but have a couple easy questions. What is the optimum cat cut for an 8 footer? & optimum spreader bar length? Thanks

The piece I'd cut for my next version (if it was 8' long) is illustrated in the attached diagram. It assumes a recessed pair of rings for the head spreader bar, like I'm doing for v0.2. It assumes that 1.5" of fabric are taken up by rolling onto the suspension webbing.

The key ideas are
(i) you want 36" finished at the narrowest point, so that when you're on your side both knees stay in the hammock.

(ii) You get 48" of fabric (finished) spread by 36" of spreader bar. This is the spread I'm using and it is noticably better than when I used 36" (or even 39") at the head corner rings.

For compression reasons you don't really want to have a spreader bar wider than 40"; 36" with the recessed rings works nicely, but this, along with 36" at the narrow part, implies a 6" cut. I did a 6" cut on the lower suspension lines of the grey prototype buried under piles of Bridge Hammock thread posts, works fine.

If I would fix the size of the suspension triangle, and assume that the angle of ascent of the suspension lines from the rings is 30 degrees, I could then shape the edges of the piece above the recessed spreader bar so that I'd get a flat floor there.

hey grizz, can you lay on your side with your knees bent in the fetal position?

yes.

the knees are up against the side of the hammock but they pushing out on it only a little bit. Spent a bit of time that way one night when I miss-hung and had a banana shape, so I just settled into the dip and curled up.

would the tighter hang required to relieve the banana position place more tension on the sides, and as result push harder on your knees? basically, do you think the loose hang facilitated less pressure on your bent knees? i just ask, b/c i wasn't able to get into the fetal position in mine, although, that could be attributed to other factors such as hammock dimensions too.

would the tighter hang required to relieve the banana position place more tension on the sides, and as result push harder on your knees? basically, do you think the loose hang facilitated less pressure on your bent knees? i just ask, b/c i wasn't able to get into the fetal position in mine, although, that could be attributed to other factors such as hammock dimensions too.

I don't think the banana was that pronounced. I'm like the princess and the pea when you get used to flat, you get real spoiled.... It took a while for me to realize that I was messing with my knees, another solution would have been to stick something under them.

yours started out considerably narrower, as I recall. Like 48" maybe. With what cut depth?